Sybiha made the remarks in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. His statement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly pledged to Pope Leo that Moscow would cooperate in delivering essential supplies to Oleshky, located in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. Describing the worsening humanitarian crisis, Sybiha said the local hospital had exhausted its medical supplies, while bodies remained unburied in streets and homes because Russian forces were allegedly preventing residents from conducting funerals. "Russians are trying to turn the Ukrainian town of Oleshky into a death trap. The hospital has run out of medicine. Dozens of bodies lie in the streets or in homes, as Russians forbid residents from burying them," Sybiha wrote in his post. He also highlighted the desperate conditions facing families, who are struggling to find enough food to survive. "Families are starving, surviving on leftover garden vegetables, preserves and even snails... Ukraine has repeatedly called for safe evacuation and international humanitarian access. These appeals cannot remain unanswered," he added.

Russians are trying to turn the Ukrainian town of Oleshky into a death trap.

Around 1,700 people are still trapped in the destroyed town. The only road out is mined and watched by attack drones. Those who try to flee risk being killed. The nearby river is mined, too. Residents doubt they can survive this winter. The hospital has run out of medicine. Dozens of bodies lie in the streets or in homes, as Russians forbid residents from burying them. Families are starving, surviving on leftover garden vegetables, preserves and even snails. Residents say Russian soldiers have threatened them at gunpoint to seize their food. Ukraine has repeatedly called for safe evacuation and international humanitarian access. These appeals cannot remain unanswered. We urge the UN, the ICRC, and all partners to use every available channel to secure safe evacuation corridors and immediate humanitarian access to Oleshky. Russia must stop obstructing efforts to save civilian lives. I thank all our partners and people around the world who refuse to stay silent and have become the voice of Oleshky’s residents. I want to personally thank Pope Leo XIV for his call on Putin for a ceasefire in Oleshky to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. People cannot survive on statements of concern. They need action. They need a way out. And they need it now. 📷 : Kherson regional military administration — Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) October 17, 2026

Oleshky Faces Severe Food and Medical Shortages

The humanitarian situation in Oleshky has raised growing concerns over the availability of basic necessities. In September, the Kremlin acknowledged that the town was experiencing critical shortages of food and medical supplies. However, Russian authorities said their military was working to address the problems. In a notable development, Ukrainian forces used drones on two occasions to deliver food and medicines to residents of the town. Sybiha renewed his appeal for international assistance on Saturday, urging the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations to take immediate action. He called on the organisations to "secure safe evacuation corridors and immediate humanitarian access" to protect civilians and ensure they receive essential supplies. Oleshky is situated on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region. Russian forces occupied much of the region shortly after launching their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian forces subsequently launched a counteroffensive and regained control of large areas, including the regional capital, Kherson, which lies on the opposite bank of the river from Oleshky.

Zelenskyy Calls Situation in Oleshky ‘Genocide’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the situation in Oleshky as "genocide" earlier this week, underscoring Kyiv's concerns about the conditions faced by civilians in the occupied town. Meanwhile, the conflict continued to claim lives elsewhere in the region. Local prosecutors said on Saturday that Russian forces had dropped aerial bombs on Kherson, across the Dnipro River from Oleshky. The attack killed an ambulance driver and injured 40 people, according to the prosecutors. The developments have added to concerns about civilian safety across the Kherson region, where residents continue to face the consequences of the ongoing war and limited access to essential services.